Folding, cutting, and delivering mechanism



March 28, 1950 H. M. BARBER FOLDING, CUTTING, AND DELIVERING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. '7, 1945 March 28, 1950 H. M. BARBER FOLDING, CUTTING, AND DELIVERING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 7, 1945 March 28, 1950 H. M. BARBER FOLDING, CUTTING, AND DELIVERING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 7, 1945 March 28, 1950 H. M. BARBER FOLDING, CUTTING, AND DELIVERING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 7, 1945 INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 28, 1950 2,501,835 FOLDING, CUTTING, AND DELIVERING MECHANISM ompany,

Howard M. Barber, Pawcatuck, Com, asaignor to B. Cottrell & Sons Westerly, R. L.

a corporation oi Delaware Application February 7, 1945, Serial No. 576,564

ll Claims.

One object of my invention is to provide novel means for cutting associated and longitudinally folded webs each cycle of the cutting means into an odd number of signatures and means for delivering the signatures to a corresponding odd number of diilerent points, as, for instance. traveling endless tape carriers.

Another object is to provide means for materially reducing the speed of travel of the signatures so that each signature will not interfere with the leading edge of its next succeeding signature, and for improving the signature handling conditions at the several points of delivery.

Anothe object is to provide a traveling side guide for the signatures as they are conveyed by their respective endless tape carrier deliveries with the folded edges of the signatures disposed parallel to the direction of travel of the carriers; said traveling side guides being driven at the speed of the endless tape carriers and serving to overcome the tendency of the signatures to slide sideways off the tape carriers.

A practical embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in connection with means for cutting three signatures from the associated and folded webs each cycle of the cutting means and delivering the signatures under reduced speed to their respective first, sec- 0nd and third endless delivery carriers.

Fig. 1 represents a side view in diagram of the web associating, folding, cutting and signature delivery mechanisms.

Fig. 2 represents an end view in diagram of the web associating and folding mechanism.

Fig. 3 represents a detail plan view showing two first signature deliveries in diagram.

Figs. 4 and 4a represent a detail vertical section of the cutting and delivery mechanism on an enlarged scale taken inside the near side frame.

Figs. 5 and 5a represent a detail vertical central section of the same.

Figs. 6 and 6a represent a detail vertical section showing the geared connection for driving the cutting and delivery mechanism and including a portion of the means for driving the traveling endless tape carriers and their traveling side guides.

While I have shown a mechanism which is capable of simultaneously handling two sets of narrow webs the mechanism and its operation will be described in connection with one only of these two sets of webs.

The mechanism for associating and folding the narrow webs is shown as comprising a pair of coacting web associating rollers I, 2, a former 8,

a pair of nipping rollers 4, I and a pair of feed rollers 6, I. All of these rollers are driven at the same surface speed from any suitable source not shown herein), to associate and longitudinally fold the webs and feed them to the mechanism for cutting three signatures therefrom each cycle of the cutting means and to deliver the three signatures to three diflerent points.

The means for cutting the associated and folded webs into three signatures each cycle of the cutting means and the means for delivering the signatures to three different points are shown as comprising the following elements. The pair of coacting rotary cutters are denoted by 8, 8, the first and second transfer cylinders by It, I I, the first, second and third delivery cylinders by l2, l3, ll and their respective endless tape carriers b i5, i6 and II.

The associated and folded webs, the rotary cutters 8, 8 and the transfer cylinders it. II are all driven at the same surface speed and the three delivery cylinders II. II, M are all driven at a slower surface speed, in the present instance about six-tenths that of the associated and folded webs, the rotary cutters and the transfer cylinders.

The sequence of operation is such that the first signature cut from the associated and folded webs during one cycle of the rotary cutters is delivered to the first endless tape carrier 15; the second signature cut during the same cycle of the rotary cutters is delivered to the second endless tape carrier l6, and the third signature cut during the same cycle of the rotary cutters is delivered to the third endless tape carrier H, the cutting of the three signatures completing the cycle of the rotary cutters.

The driving connection between the rotary cutters, the transfer cylinders and the delivery cylinders is such that two successive groups of three signatures are delivered during one cycle of the delivery cylinders and two cycles of the rotary cutters.

This driving connection is shown as comprising the coacting gears II, I! on the shafts of the rotary cutters l, 9; the coacting gears 20, 2| on the shafts of the gear 8 and delivery cylinder II; the gear 22 on the shaft of the first transfer cylinder It which coacts with the gear It on the shaft of the rotary cutter 9 and also with the gear 23 on the shaft of the second transfer cylinder H; the coacting gears 24. 25 on the shafts of the first transfer cylinder Ill and second delivery cylinder It; and the coacting gears 28, 21

on the shafts of the second transfer cylinder II and third delivery cylinder ll.

It will be understood that the three delivery cylinders are driven at a considerably lesser surface speed than that of the rotary cutters. This is shown as being accomplished as follows. The three delivery cylinders have a materially reater diameter than that of the rotary cutters and the ratio between the gears is as follows. The ratio between the coacting gears I8, i9 is one to one; between the gears 20, II is one to two: between the gears l9 and 22 is two to one; between the gears 22 and 23 is two to one; between the gears 24 and 25 is one to one; and between the gears 26 and 21 is one to two.

The devices on the rotary cutters and various cylinders which operate to cut and deliver the signatures will now be described.

The rotary cutter 9 is shown as provided with a knife box 28 and two knives 29, 30 equally spaced apart around the periphery of the cutter, and also one set of cam operated impalln pins ll located at the knife block 28 to engage the first signature. A fixed cam 92 is located in position to withdraw these pins ill to permit the first signature to be transferred from the rotary cutter 8 to the delivery cylinder II.

The rotary cutter 9 is shown as provided with a knife 33 and two knife boxes 34, 35 equally spaced apart around the periphery of the cutter, and two sets of cam operated impaling pins 39, 31 located at the knife boxes 34, 35. A fixed cam 99 is located in position to withdraw these impalin pins 36, ill to permit the second and third signatures to be transferred from the rotary cutter 9 to the first transfer cylinder ill.

The first transfer cylinder i9 is shown as twice the diameter of the rotary cutters 8, 9 and it is provided with four sets of cam operated impaling pins 39, MI and ll, 42 spaced apart around the periphery of the transfer cylinder as follows. The impaling pins lll are spaced one-sixth of the periphery from the impaling pins 39; the impaling pins ll are spaced two-sixths of the periphery from the irnpaling pins 49; the impaiing pins 42 are spaced one-sixth of the periphery from the impaling pins ll; and the impaling pins 39 are spaced two-sixths of the periphery from the impaling pins 42. A fixed cam 43 is located at one end of the first transfer cylinder in position to withdraw impaling pins 42 to transfer the second signature to the second delivery cylinder l3 during the first cycle of the rotary cutters and the impaling pins 40 during the second cycle of the rotary cutters. A second fixed cam 44 is located at the other end of the first transfer cylinder in position to withdraw impaling pins H to transfer the third signature from the first transfer cylinder ill to the second transfer cylinder ll during the first cycle of the rotary cutters 8, 9 and the impaling pins 99 during the second cycle of the rotary cutters.

The second transfer cylinder II is shown as one-half the size of the first transfer cylinder l and as rovided with one set of cam operated impaling pins 15 on its periphery. A fixed cam 46 is located in position to withdraw the impaling pins 45 to permit the transfer of the third signature from the second transfer cylinder to the third delivery cylinder H.

The first delivery cylinder I2 is shown as provided with two grippers 41, 48 equally spaced apart around its periphery. A fixed cam 49 is located in position to operate the grippers 41 to take the first signature in the first cycle of the rotary cutters from the rotary cutter 8 and the grippers It to take the first signature in the secand cycle of the rotary cutters and to deposit the succeeding first signatures onto the endless tape carrier IS.

The second delivery cylinder i3 is shown as similarly provided with two grippers 50, 5| equally spaced apart around its periphery. A fixed cam 52 is located in position to operate the grippers 59 to take the second signature from the first transfer cylinder during the first cycle of the rotary cutters 8, 9 and to operate the grippers ii to take the second signature from the first transfer cylinder Ill during the second cycle of the said rotary cutters.

The third delivery cylinder I4 is shown as similarly provided with two grippers 53, 5! equally spaced apart around its periphery. A fixed cam 55 is provided for operating the grippers 53 during the first cycle of the rotary cutters 8, 9 to take the third signature from the second transfer cylinder II and the grippers 54 for taking the third signature from the second transfer cylinder ll during the second cycle of the rotary cutters ii, 9 and to deposit the signatures on the third endless delivery carrier l'l.

Three stops 56, 51, 58 are provided for the signatures as they are deposited onto their respective endless tape carriers l5, l6, 11 by the signature delivery cylinders l2, l3, l4.

Stationary vertically disposed guide plates 59, 60, 6| are provided along the endless tape carriers l5, l6, ll at the signature delivery cylinders ii, iii, I4 on the folded edge side of the signatures as they are deposited onto their respective endless tape carriers.

Because of the tendency of the signatures to move sideways oil the endless tape carriers where the folded edges of the signatures are parallel with the travel of the endless tape carriers and the signatures are narrow, traveling endless belts 62, 53, 64 are provided along the sides of the endless tape carriers opposite the stationary guide plates 59, 60,61.

Means are provided for driving these guide belts and endless tape carriers at the same slow speed, said means comprising the following elements. Crank pins 65, 65, 61 on the shafts of the signature delivery cylinders l2, l3, it are connected by links 88, B9, 10 to the rock arms ll, l2, 13 of one-way clutches H, 15, 16 on the cross shafts I1, l8, 19 on which the pulleys B9, 8!, 82 of the endless tape carriers are mounted. These cross shafts 1T, 19, I9, drive through pairs of connecting gears 83, B4, B5, 86, 81, 88 the vertical shafts 89, 9|), 9| which carry the belt driving pulleys 92, 93, 94.

The parts shown and described but not claimed herein form the subject matter of my divisional application filed March 15, 1946, its serial number being 654,756.

It is evident that various changes may be re sorted to in the constr tion, form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not intend to be limited to the particular embodiment herein shown and described, but what I claim is:

1. In combination, a pair of rotary cutters having coacting cutting devices for cutting associated and folded traveling webs into an odd plurality of signatures each cycle of the cutters, and means for delivering said odd plurality of signatures from said pair of cutters to an odd plurality of delivery points.

2. In combination, a pair of rotary cutters having coacting cutting devices for cutting associated and folded traveling webs into three signatures each cycle of the cutters, and means for delivering said three signatures from said pair of cutters to three delivery points.

8. In combination, a pair of rotary cutters having coacting cutting devices for cutting associated and folded traveling webs into an odd plurality of signatures each cycle of the cutters, and means for delivering said odd plurality of signatures from said pair of cutters to an odd plurality of delivery points at a reduced speed.

4. In combination, a pair of rotary cutters having coacting cutting devices for cutting associated and folded traveling webs into three signatures each cycle of the cutters, and means for delivering said three signatures from said pair of cutters to three delivery points at a reduced speed.

5. In combination, a pair of rotary cutters having coacting cutting devices for cutting associated and folded traveling webs into an odd plurality of signatures each cycle of the cutters, transfer and delivery cylinders, and sheet engaging de vices on the rotary cutters, transfer cylinders and the delivery cylinders coacting to forward the odd plurality of signatures to an odd plurality of delivery points.

6. In combination, a pair of rotary cutters having coacting cutting devices for cutting associated and folded traveling webs into three signatures each cycle of the cutters, two transfer and three delivery cylinders, and sheet engaging devices on the rotary cutters, the transfer cylinders and the delivery cylinders coacting to forward the three signatures to three delivery points.

7. In combination, a pair of rotary cutters having coacting cutting devices for cutting associated and folded traveling webs into an odd plurality of signatures each cycle of the cutters, transfer and delivery cylinders, and sheet engaging devices on the rotary cutters, transfer cylinders and the delivery cylinders coacting to forward the odd plurality of signatures to an odd plurality of delivery points and means for driving the rotary cutters and transfer cylinders at the same surface speed and the delivery cylinders at a slower surface speed.

B. In combination, a pair bf rotary cutters having coacting cutting devices for cutting associated and folded traveling webs into three signatures each cycle of the cutters, two transfer and three delivery cylinders, and sheet engaging devices on the rotary cutters, the transfer cylinders and the delivery cylinders coacting to forward the three signatures to three delivery points and means for driving the rotary cutters and transfer cylinders at the same surface speed and the delivery cylinders at a slower surface speed.

9. In combination, a pair of rotary cutters having coacting cutting devices for cutting associated and folded traveling webs into an odd plurality of signatures each cycle of the cutters, transfer and delivery cylinders, and sheet engaging devices on the rotary cutters, transfer cylinders and the delivery cylinders coacting to forward the odd plurality of signatures to an odd plurality of delivery points and means for driving the delivery cylinders one rotation for each two rotations of the rotary cutters and transfer cylinders.

10. In combination, a pair of rotary cutters having coacting cutting devices for cutting associated and folded traveling webs into three sig natures each cycle of the cutters, two transfer I deviceson therotary cutters, the transfer cylinders and the delivery cylinders coacting to forward the three signatures, to three delivery points and means for driving the delivery cylinders one rotation for each two rotations of the rotary cutters and transfer cylinders.

11. In combination, a pair of rotary cutters having coacting cutting devices for cutting associated and folded traveling webs into three signatures each cycle of the rotary cutters, first and second transfer cylinders. first, second and third delivery cylinders, and sheet engaging devices on the rotary cutters, the transfer cylinders and the delivery cylinders causing the first delivery cylinder to forward the first signature from one rotary cutter to a first delivery point, causing the second delivery cylinder to forward the second signature from the other rotary cutter through the first transfer cylinder to a second delivery point, and causing the third delivery cylinder to forward the third signature from said other rotary cutter, through the first and second transfer cylinders to a third delivery point.

12. In combination, a pair of rotary cutters having coacting cutting devices for cutting associated and folded traveling webs into three signatures each cycle of the rotary cutters, first and second transfer cylinders, first, second and third delivery cylinders, and sheet engaging devices on the rotary cutters, the transfer cylinders and the delivery cylinders causing the first delivery cylinder to forward the first signature from one rotary cutter to a first delivery point, causing the second delivery cylinder to forward the third signature from said other rotary cutter, through the first and second transfer cylinders to a third delivery point and means for driving the rotary cutters and transfer cylinders at the same surface speed and the delivery cylinders at a slower surface speed.

13. In combination, a pair of rotary cutters having three sets of coacting devices for cutting associated and folded traveling webs into three signatures each cycle of the rotary cutters, the first and second rotary cutters having sheet engaging devices, a first delivery cylinder having sheet engaging devices for forwarding the first signature from the first rotary cutter to a first delivery point, the second rotary cutter having sheet engaging devices, a first transfer cylinder having sheet engaging devices for taking the second and third signatures from the second rotary cutter, a second delivery cylinder having sheet engaging devices for taking the second signature from sheet engaging devices on the first transfer cylinder and forwarding it to a second delivery point, a second transfer cylinder having sheet engaging devices for taking the third signature from sheet engaging devices on the first transfer cylinder, and a third delivery cylinder having sheet engaging devices for forwarding the third signature from the second transfer cylinder to a third delivery point and means for driving the two rotary cutters and the two transfer cylinders at the same surface speed and the three delivery cylinders at a slower surface speed.

14. In combination, a pair of rotary cutters having three sets of coacting cutting devices for cutting associated and folded traveling webs into three signatures each cycle of the rotary cutters, the first rotary cutter having one set of sheet engaging devices and the second rotary cutter is having two sets of sheet engaging devices, a

first delivery cylinder having two lots of shoot engaging devices for forwarding the first signa- 7 ture from the first rotary cutter to a first delivery point, a first transfer cylinder havingjour sets of sheet engaging devices for taking the second and third signatures from the second rotary cutter. a second delivery cylinder having two sets of sheet engaging devices for taking the second signature from two of the sets of sheet engaging devices on the first transfer cylinder. and forwarding it to a second delivery point, a second transfer cylinder having one set of sheet engagingdevices for taking the third signature from the other two sets of sheet engaging devices on the first transfer cylinder, and a third delivery cylinder having two sets or sheet ensaglng devices for forwarding the third signature from the second transfer cylinder to a third delivery point and means for driving the two rotary cutters and the two transfer cylinders at the same surface speed and the three delivery cylinders at a slower surface speed.

HOWARD M. BARBER.

amnnncns cnsn The following references are of record tho iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Barber 1 Nov. 21, 1919 Bechman Sept. 11, 1911 Broadmeyer Jan. 11, 1921 Walser Man, 1931 Zuckerman Apr. 16. 1929 Boyce Feb. 3. 1932 Werner Aug. 39, 1932 Crafts Nov. Ii, 1935 Waters July 4, 1939 Barber Aug. 13. 1949 Barber Nov. 19, 1940 Meyer Mar. 4, 1941 zuclrerman July 1. 1941 Crafts July '11, 1944 

